Census geography overview
Census data is available at a variety of different geographic levels such as State, Capital City, Local Government Area, Suburb and Postal Area. These areas are created by aggregating smaller units of geography together into a 'best fit'.
The boundaries available from the ABS rarely match actual 'communities', 'suburbs' or 'service catchments' needed for effective decision making, and even if they do, they are seldom available on the same geographic basis over time, making it very difficult to identify trends in population characteristics based on meaningful areas.
Standard output from the ABS is on the basis of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). This has applied in 2011 and 2016 Censuses.
For previous Censuses (2006 and earlier) the base building block was called a Census Collection District. Census Collection Districts aggregated to Local Government Areas.
Local Government Areas are available from the 2011 and 2016 Census output. They are created by aggregating SA1s. However, these SA1s do not sum exactly to Local Government boundaries, making geographic breakdowns problematic, and time series even more difficult. profile.id resolves all these issues to create a meaningful geography that can be analysed over a long time-period.
Porirua City geography
This profile provides Census data for the Porirua City broken down into small areas based on customised suburbs/localities.
For the 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 Census years these small areas are created by aggregating Census Collection Districts. For the 2011 and 2016 Censuses they are created by aggregating Statistical Area Level 1 and other smaller geographic units.
Where SA1s or CDs do not fit exactly into a suburb or locality boundary, estimates are made in each Census year of the number of dwellings to be included. These estimates use satellite photography, dwelling counts, planning schemes, and street directories to determine what percentage of each SA1 or CD to include in the suburb.
This means that regardless of the Census year, and the changes in ABS output boundaries, the data presented in profile.id exactly matches the suburb/locality boundary. This provides the most accurate population information for suburbs and localities and a meaningful time series for the current geography.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011. Compiled and presented in atlas.id by .id, the population experts. NOTE: The geography in the Community Profile tables may not match the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) SA2, state suburb or postal area boundaries, which are based on aggregation of whole SA1s and are not comparable to previous Census years.
See About the profile areas for information on specific geographic areas.
Census geography
The SSGA18 is New Zealand’s new official statistical geographic area standard. The framework enables statistical entities or units (e.g. dwellings, people or businesses) to be linked to the location where they are placed, live or work.
All the data Stats NZ collects is referenced to a specific place and time. Place can be any geography (e.g. city, lake, township or region), and the point of developing statistical geographical standards is to be able to consistently and accurately identify the size of change as well as where change occurs.
In 2018, the SSGA18 underwent its first major review since 1989. The new boundaries are designed to reflect current land use and spatial patterns. Privacy is still a pivotal requirement for Stats NZ, but the new geographies will also enable more finely grained information at the smaller area level.
The new statistical geographies are:
1. meshblock 2. statistical area 1 (SA1) 3. statistical area 2 (SA2) 4. urban rural areas
Meshblocks in NZ
our smallest geography ideally around 30–60 dwellings (around 60–120 residents) identified by a seven-digit code 53,589 in total cover New Zealand and extend out to sea to cover NZ’s 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
SA1 geography in NZ (Statistical area 1)
a new output geography ideally around 100–200 residents (maximum 500) identified by a seven-digit number starting with 7
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011. Compiled and presented in atlas.id by .id, the population experts. 29,889 SA1s in total an aggregation of meshblocks
SA2 geography in NZ (Statistical area 2)
city SA2s usually have a population of 2,000–4,000 residents district council SA2s will usually have a population of 1,000–3,000 residents this geography level seeks to show the communities/neighbourhoods that combine socially and economically identified by a name (like the old census area units) and a numeric code which has 6 digits (starting with 1 or 2 in the North Island or 3 in the South) 2,253 in total
For more information
You can access more detail from Stats NZ Geographic boundary files.
the Porirua City geography
On this profile Census data is available at a variety of different geographic levels: Regional; Territorial Authority; Ward, and SA2s. The Community Profile provides population data for the Porirua City and associated suburbs/localities, aggregated from Meshblocks for the Census years: 2018, 2013, and 2006.
Historically meshblocks and Census area Units (CAUs) were used to collect Census data. The 2018 SA2 SA1 level geography framework heralded in many boundary changes. To enable time series comparison Statistics NZ have concorded the older 2013 and 2006 datasets to the most current boundaries.
To be shown individually in this profile, SA2s must have a minimum population of 500 people in every Census year. Occasionally an SA2 population is under 500 – when this occurs the SA2 is amalgamated with a similar neighbouring SA2. This avoids any complications caused by confidentiality rules imposed by Statistics NZ. The SA2 are designed to match official suburb/locality boundaries as close as possible, and represent geographic areas which people can relate to on the ground.
ID Area name Location WKT WKT 10 Porirua City
Porirua City is Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011. Compiled and presented in atlas.id by .id, the population experts. part of the Wellington Region in the lower North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) of New Zealand. Porirua extends from Kenepuru Drive in the south (bordering Wellington City), to Pukerua Bay in the north (bordering Kāpiti Coast), from Tītahi Bay on the west coast (Tasman Sea), to Judgeford in the east (bordering Upper Hutt City to the north-east and Hutt City to the south-east).
100 Aotea 110 Ascot Park 120 Camborne 130 Cannons Creek East 140 Cannons Creek North 150 Cannons Creek South 160 Elsdon-Takapuwahia 170 Endeavour 200 Onepoto Paekakariki Hill and 210 Pauatahanui 220 Papakowhai 230 Paremata 250 Plimmerton Porirua Central and 260 Ranui Heights 270 Porirua East 280 Postgate 290 Pukerua Bay 310 Titahi Bay North 320 Titahi Bay South 330 Waitangirua 340 Whitby 370 Northern Ward 380 Western Ward Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011. Compiled and presented in atlas.id by .id, the population experts. 390 Eastern WardSource: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011. Compiled and presented in atlas.id by .id, the population experts.